"I am a nurse!"

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Ever have a patient or family member who, the first thing out of their mouth is "I am a nurse!". Then they proceed to brag about their illustrious career, showing off their knowledge, grandstanding and expecting the red carpet treatment. They fiddle around with monitors, turn off pumps and saline lock IVs, crossing boundaries right and left.

Then they announce that they love it here and plan on applying! You go to the BON site, verify their status, then email your supervisor ASAP!

The few times a family member claimed to be a nurse, they did not seem believable. They lacked basic knowledge.

There have been times I have learned a family member was a nurse afterwards, and they were doing what I do: Be quiet, be polite, and observe. My friends know not to tell staff that I am an RN if I am visiting them in a hospital. I'm a secret shopper!

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Specializes in Pedi.
My mom (to the cancer doc) - "Well, my daughter's a nurse."

Me: A PEDIATRIC nurse, mom.

As a similar poster mentioned....most "nurses" here end up not being RNs with a current license to practice. Smile and wave...

I tell this to my Mom all the time too but she also doesn't listen to me when I try to give her actual advice. Like a year or so ago she was taking ibuprofen for her knee or hip or something but was only taking 200-400 mg because that's what the bottle said. I told her taking less than 600 mg was useless. Then a few months later she saw her doctor and told the doctor "my daughter is a nurse and told me I need to take 3 ibuprofen if I want it to do anything" and the doctor told her "your daughter is right."

And then she didn't understand why the Orthopedic Surgeon she saw recommended surgery when she went to him for a consult. I was like "Because he's a SURGEON. How many times do I need to tell you to go to a Physiatrist if you don't want to go the surgery route?"

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Specializes in Tele, Interventional Pain Management, OR.

I dunno...when I brought my (then) ten-month-old-son to urgent care, it was for the first time and I was straight from work--scrubs, name badge and all. I didn't care one iota about people knowing I'm an RN. I wanted my baby tested for flu/strep/RSV so he could be okay. I NEVER do the "I'm a NURSE" thing. It's gross and prevents other people from doing their jobs.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I dunno...when I brought my (then) ten-month-old-son to urgent care, it was for the first time and I was straight from work--scrubs, name badge and all. I didn't care one iota about people knowing I'm an RN. I wanted my baby tested for flu/strep/RSV so he could be okay. I NEVER do the "I'm a NURSE" thing. It's gross and prevents other people from doing their jobs.

Yes, and I can recognize that "look" from across the room and I strive to be a positive participant in your child's visit and help ease your anxiety. You definitely don't fit the character to which is referred here.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
...I have noticed it the other way actually.

Please tell us about it...

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
Oftentimes they're not really nurses at all. They're a CNA or an MA or the housekeeper that works in the pharmacy. Or they work in a hospital and they KNOW they could be a nurse because nursing is an easy job and they can do everything that nurse does. Then you're faced with having to explain things to someone who swears they know everything about nursing but doesn't even have the vocabulary to understand the diagnosis!

I honestly been trying so hard to break that negative light to CMAs because not all of us are like this. As I said before my mother is starting to get old, and she tends to be super proud of me being a CMA, when I'm like, it's just CMA, it's nothing big. I want to be a real nurse, and I will eventually, but my mother talks about me like I cured cancer or an amazing nurse and I'm not.

When she had surgery for Mitral Valve Stenosis, she would ask for my opinion, and while I knew somewhat of cardiology and her ailment, I'm not a nurse, and I told her she needs to also ask the nurses and the doctor too, because I'm lacking that department, but if she wants more opinions she can go see another doctor for a second option.

She came ok and is doing way better, but she keeps on being super proud of me. :/

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Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
I do always tell them I'm a nurse, because nothing makes me madder than someone trying to explain that blood is the red stuff that goes round and round and that the boo boo will be better soon. I know that! Cut to the chase and tell me the nitty gritty in real terms! I spent too many years in the ICU. I want to know the MAP, the CVP and the lactic acid results, STAT! :laugh:

LOL, I'm like that at my doctors' office. I volunteer I'm a nurse if they start in with the super-simple explanations of things, because I'm like, "We both speak medical-ese." I always keep my mouth shut as a visitor, but I often get made - my family aren't usually the culprits (my mom's a nurse, too, she gets it, and she's taught my dad well about that) but my friends, not so much. Or I get the dreaded "you're a nurse so I will now text you for medical advice" from some of my friends. Works out great if they just need reassurance, but I should have "You should see your own doctor" as a cut-and-paste option! :-D

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I luckily have never really had anyone too overbearing. If I am sick I don't like to talk about being a nurse. I feel like some people act different around you. I went to the hospital last year after moving and EMS asked me where I worked, I told them and they kept asking about my title and I finally told them. I heard them giving report to the ER nurse "she's a nurse too". The most I did was clamp the NS when the line was about to run dry because it wasn't on a pump haha.

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Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.

When my baby niece was born 2 months ago, we were laughing at the medical conference we had in the room...my brother - a critical care paramedic; my sister-in-law - also a paramedic and in nursing school, me and my mom - both nurses, and my dad - knows a decent bit by osmosis but also works in healthcare administration. We didn't volunteer, but the nurse made us pretty quick, from how we were talking, and soon she was joining in with some of our joking. I saw that "how is this going to go" look on her face for a moment, but she relaxed fast. I didn't, but part of me wanted to say, "No, don't worry, we won't get in your way - we HATE when people do that to us!"

Also, I may know babies, but I sure don't know postpartum...and my mom's specialty is geriatrics. We might have had questions, but we weren't about to pretend like we could have thrown on a pair of scrubs and worked the floor. Nor would we have wanted to. As others have noted, sometimes it's nice to just be the family member.

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I make a habit out of not informing medical professionals that I'm a nurse when seeking services for myself or a loved one.

I fear they'll think I know more than I really do.

Like Tim Allen's character and the ERP in the movie "Wild Hogs":

" Well, Mr. Madsen...

- Dr. Madsen...

Oh, really? Great. Then I can

put this a little more simply.

You had a catecholamine-induced,

super-ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

I'm actually a dentist, so I

have no idea what you just said."

Exactly. I tend to refrain from letting on that I am a nurse for 2 reasons. 1) I don't want to be "that" family member.

2) Most likely wherever I am, it is not my area of expertise. Id want specific numbers on labs and tests and such, but even then, I may not know the implications of those results in the situation I or my family member is in.

Whenever a family member lets it out of the bag, I say with a gentle laugh, "Yeah, but (insert specialty) is not my area of expertise.

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This funny. We just delivered our 2nd child. My wife could not stop herself from telling all of the staff I am a nurse.

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Or I get the dreaded "you're a nurse so I will now text you for medical advice" from some of my friends. Works out great if they just need reassurance, but I should have "You should see your own doctor" as a cut-and-paste option! :-D

I get asked for medical advice way too often... And, I'm a nursing STUDENT! :no:

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